Once again this fall, Washington, DC, will host the Kids Euro Festival, one of the country's largest performing arts festivals for children, with more than 200 free events around the city. The month-long event will be geared to kids ages 2 through 12 and will feature artists in almost every performing genre, whose talents range from bubble-blowers to a virtual orchestra to storytelling to acrobats. Kids Euro Festival is staged through the cooperation of the 27 Washington-based European Union embassies and more than a dozen major local cultural institutions. For more information, visit kidseurofestival.org.

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!

Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.

ZARAFA

Under a baobab tree, an old man tells a story to the children around him: a tale of the friendship between a young escaped slave boy, Maki, and Zarafa, an orphaned giraffe being gifted to the King of France by the Pasha of Egypt. Determined to fulfill the promise he made to Zarafa's late mother, Maki does everything in his power — even risking his own life — to prevent the giraffe from reaching its intended destination in France. The two end up on an epic journey from Sudan to Paris, passing through Alexandria, Marseille and the snow-capped Alps on amazing adventures along the way. Rémi Bezançon's charming animated feature debut is co-directed by Jean-Christophe Lie, the supervising animator of the acclaimed THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE.

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!
Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.

Sat, Oct 20, 11:00 a.m.

SEVEN BROTHERS

A joyful adaptation of Finnish author Aleksis Kivi's 1834 novel of the same title, this film follows the adventures of seven siblings in a backwater Finnish town. When their mother suddenly dies, they find themselves responsible for running the family farm. It's a challenge they're not ready for, and -- after their joint marriage proposal to a beautiful village lady is rejected -- the brothers decide to "return to nature" by exploring both the dangers and the wonders of a nearby forest.

DIR Riitta Nelimarkka, Claude-Louis Michel; SCR based on the novel by Aleksis Kivi. Finland, 2010, color, 63 min. In French with English subtitles. NOT RATED

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!
Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.

Sat, Oct 27, 10:30 a.m

IVAN'S DREAM

When a charity soccer match is announced between the world's best players and a team made up of the world's most talented kids, 11-year-old Iván defies the odds and makes the team. But he'll have to face more than just his much taller opponents, as the bully with designs on Iván's girlfriend has been chosen for the team as well. Their decorated Mexican coach, recent Oscar nominee Demián Bichir (A BETTER LIFE), has his work cut out for him in turning a motley crew of kids into a real team. A charming tale of friendship, sportsmanship and young love, this is a perfect film for the whole family.

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!
Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.

Sat, Oct 27, 11:05 a.m.

TALES OF THE NIGHT

Drawing on the folk and fairy tale tradition from every corner of the globe, acclaimed animator Michel Ocelot (KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS) crafts six original tales that could believably have been passed down through the ages — heroic quests and allegorical endeavors that will excite and delight audiences of all ages. As will Ocelot's bold new direction in animation, using only black silhouette figures against vibrantly colored backgrounds, a style that enlists the viewer's own imagination in completing the picture and harkens back to animation pioneers like Lotte Reiniger. Official Selection, 2011 Berlin, Karlovy Vary, Sitges and London Film Festivals.

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!
Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.

Fri, Nov 2, 5:00

THE BLUE TIGER

In a city ruled by a diabolical mayor, only one thing can save the old botanical garden from demolition: the magical blue tiger. Now it's up to friends Johanka and Matyas to protect the tiger from the evil clutches of the mayor and his henchmen and keep the garden from becoming an entertainment center. They'll have to rely on their intelligence and imagination, not to mention the mysterious powers of the blue tiger. Combining live-action and clever animation flourishes, this film is a visually stunning tale of heart and hope, encouraging environmental stewardism and respect for the past. (Courtesy of TIFF Kids International Film Festival)

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!
Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.

Sat, Nov. 3, 11:05 a.m.

THE ICE DRAGON

Mik lives in Stockholm with his dad and older brother. When both of them are sent to jail, Mik must move to his aunt's house in the north, where he quickly makes new friends and finds love. Then, just when everything seems to have settled into a nice routine, Social Services arrives and destroys everything. A film about friendship, love and finding your way with the help of a whale or two! (Courtesy of BUFF Film Festival)

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!
Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.

Sun, Nov 4, 11:00 a.m.

THE RABBI'S CAT [Le chat du rabbin]

Adapted from the graphic novels of Joann Sfar, this is a vivid, lively and imaginative animated film co-directed by Sfar and Antoine Delesvaux. The story takes place once upon a time (not too long ago) in Algiers, where Jewish and Islamic communities existed in relative peace and rabbis and mullahs could be friends. A widower rabbi lives with his voluptuous and dutiful daughter and their pesky cat, who swallows a parakeet and begins to speak, soon driving everyone crazy by insisting on having a bar mitzvah. (Courtesy of Film Society of Lincoln Center)

Admission is FREE to all Kids Euro Festival events!
Tickets for Kids Euro Festival films at AFI Silver will be available on the day of the show; limit four per person. The box office opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day.